MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui have unveiled a memorial plaque at the Yaroslavsky railway station commemorating Kim Il Sung's visit to the USSR in 1949, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel.
The spokeswoman shared photos from the meeting between the foreign ministers in Moscow. "Sergey Lavrov greeted his counterpart with a bouquet. The meeting began at the Yaroslavsky railway station, where they unveiled a memorial plaque commemorating Kim Il Sung's visit to the USSR in 1949. Following this, discussions will continue at the Foreign Ministry," the diplomat noted.
Kim Il Sung's initial visits to the USSR as the country’s president occurred from March 3 to 25, 1949, and again in April 1950 (the exact date of the latter visit was not officially provided). During these meetings with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, they discussed the potential for hostilities between North Korea, proclaimed in 1948, and South Korea, which was under U.S. control. The Korean War began in June 1950 and lasted until 1953. Additionally, Stalin and Kim Il Sung considered comprehensive economic and military support for North Korea from the USSR.
A notable gift from the Soviet leader to Kim Il Sung was an armored car, which is now displayed in one of North Korea’s museums. The tradition established by Kim Il Sung of traveling abroad in an armored train continues to this day.